1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a mount system for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a mount system that incorporates an elastomeric member disposed between an inner attachment bar and a tubular outer member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those skilled in the art of marine propulsion systems and, more particularly, outboard motors are aware of many different types of mounting systems that use resilient members to absorb vibration and dampen shock loads to prevent the transfer of noise and vibration from the engine of the outboard motor to the marine vessel to which it is attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,319, which issued to Shiomi et al. on Jan. 19, 1993, describes a joint structure with an elastic mount. The joint structure joins an outboard motor assembly to a boat hull. The outboard engine assembly has an engine, a case, a propeller rotatably supported on the case and drivable by the engine. The joint structure includes an attachment adapted to be coupled to the boat hull, the case having an inner surface defining an inner housing region, and elastic mount mechanism accommodated in the inner housing region for elastically supporting the case to the attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,893, which issued to Sato on Mar. 12, 2002, describes a mounting structure for an outboard motor. The axis of a driveshaft is disposed at a position offset away from the axis of a crankshaft of an engine by a small amount to the rear of the outboard motor. A pair of left and right mount holders are formed adjacent to the center of gravity of the outboard motor within the engine holder. The mount units are inserted into mount holders from the front side of the engine holder. The driveshaft is inserted between the mount holders and the mount holders are formed as close as possible to a protective wall for the driveshaft so that the mount holders can clear the protective wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,863, which issued to Imanaga on May 21, 2002, describes an outboard motor which incorporates a mount unit including upper and lower mount devices for mounting the outboard motor to the hull and a bracket through which the upper and lower mount devices are mounted to the hull. It also incorporates an elastic thrust stopper disposed between the bracket and a body of the outboard motor and a propeller driven in accordance with the engine operation. The distance between an axis of the upper mount device and an axis of the elastic thrust stopper both extend in a direction parallel to an axis of the propeller.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,534, which issued to Helsel et al. on Jul. 16, 2002, discloses a structural support system for an outboard motor. The support system uses four connectors attached to a support structure and to an engine system for isolating vibration from being transmitted to the marine vessel to which the outboard is attached. Each connector comprises an elastomeric portion for the purpose of isolating the vibration. Furthermore, the four connectors are disposed in a common plane which is generally perpendicular to a central axis of a driveshaft of the outboard motor. Although precise perpendicularity with a driveshaft axis is not required, it has been determined that if the plane extending through the connectors is within forty-five degrees perpendicularity with the driveshaft axis, improved vibration isolation can be achieved. A support structure, or support saddle, completely surrounds the engine system in the plane of the connectors. All of the support of the outboard motor is provided by the connectors within the plane, with no additional support provided at a lower position on the outboard motor driveshaft housing.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.